Teaching Mission Newsletters

Spring is here! A time of renewal when new life is bRusting out all around us and so it is, too, in the Teaching Mission. Plans are coming together for the regional and national conferences. Individuals and groups are changing, growing and reaching in new directions. We are being asked to stretch and then to stretch some more; to take action; and always is the challenge to put our new understandings into practice.

The analogy from Malvantra in this issue reminds us that we only see a small piece of the grand puzzle. Thus, we are continually confronted by the experiences and views of others who are experiencing differing pieces of the puzzle. Keeping this in mind, let us remain open to the limitless possibilities that unfold. We each exercise our discernment, but as we live in an ever changing and evolving universe, who among us can say with absolute certainty that their view is the correct one? Our perceptions and understandings grow in ever widening circles as we grow and evolve in spiritual understanding. What seemed confusing yesterday, today seems clear as if we had known it all along. The Spirit of Truth will permeate our beings in proportion to our willingness to allow it to flow into and envelop us.

If you aren't presently planning to attend any of the Teaching Mission conferences (The Northwest Regional Conference, SpiritFest or the International Conference in Boulder), may I suggest that you speak with others who have attended prior conferences? The fruits of attending these gatherings are great and will be with us literally eternally. Meeting my brothers and sisters and talking with them to share the fruits of the Teaching Mission is one of my greatest joys and blessings. I am often told, "Oh, you know so many in the Teaching Mission!" It is not just because I do this newsletter. I met most of the TeaMers at the conferences and visiting several of the groups. So, I urge you to reconsider and take advantage of these opportunities, which will mean more to you than I can say or you can imagine. It is something you have to experience for yourself.

Thanks to those of you who have sent your questionnaires to Gerry Baker and to the newsletter. If you haven't returned yours yet, please take the time to do so.

Easter is the time that many in the world focus on Jesus; remember his death; contemplate the meaning of his life and teachings; and celebrate his resurrection. Although, Easter will be past at the arrival of this issue, the message from Jeremiah offers "evidence of the Living Truth of the Teaching Mission" and the resurrection that gives us much to celebrate.

Just as the foliage of spring opens up its beauty for all to see, let us all open up our hearts or our spiritual fragrance to permeate the air around us to glorify our Father.

Allene Vick

Editor

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CELESTIAL WORDS AND TEACHINGS

* * *MICHAEL * * *

Your relationship with the Father, Divine Mother and Myself should encompass you as a fragrant cloak. As you go from place to place the fragrance from the cloak should spread its perfume among all you meet. WHETHER YOU SPEAK, OR WHETHER YOU REMAIN SILENT, the fragrance automatically passes from you to all others, refreshing and uplifting those around you. Never underestimate the fragrance that our Presence produces, or the work that it is able to do TOTALLY UNDETECTED BY YOU.

Be sure your fragrant cloak is in place at all times ready to serve us and the needs of your brothers and sisters. If your fragrant cloak is not around you, NOTHING that you say or do will be of benefit. If the fragrance of our presence surrounds you, All that you say or do will partake of the Eternal, and produce MIRACLES that you are unaware of.

Let us travel with you at all times spreading the holy perfume of Our Presence, and thus you become the means of spreading holiness around you. Can you think of a higher purpose? Rest in Our Presence. Your Friend and King.

Thanks to Avis Nicholas for sharing this message. What a lovely image to carry with us daily of wearing our fragrant cloak and spreading the holy perfume of the presence of our Father, Michael and Divine Mother wherever we go!

* * *

It has been a while since Tomas has submitted anything to the Newsletter. We Pittsburgh Pumpkins enjoyed this lesson on the Spirit of Truth.

Karen O'Dell (Gerdean)

Pittsburgh, PA

* TOMAS *

TOMAS: Greetings, faithful ones. I am Tomas, your teacher. It is good to be with you, as always. Many of us have assembled in enjoyment and appreciation of your coming together in praise of The Father and in fellowship with each of His children here present and in concern for those who are dear to you, while not present in the flesh, are present in your heart and in your mind.

Prayer is a great fulfiller. Take your concerns always to the Father in prayer, for your attitude in prayer can then be adjusted toward helping bring about the desired results/effects of your prayer. Many times when you pray you are then given the assignment of following through with that prayer in service.

All children of God are imbued with the power of God. It is in making a wise and divine use of such power that earmarks you as a son or daughter of the living God. It allows the Son to shine upon you that others may see your light. It satisfies the longings of the soul.

It has been said that religionists act, and even though their actions are sometimes in error, they are at least actions brought about by their intent to serve. It has also been said in your realm that there are those who make things happen, those who watch what happens and those who wonder what happened, and you may decide which of those you will be, for as you take yourself into prayer, you can become a mover and a shaker of divine action. If you put your religious life on a back burner, by maintaining a cursory interest, you may watch what happens as a result of those movers and shakers; and pity the poor person who has no cognizance of this divine and interplanetary interaction at all, but wonders "what's it all about, Alfie?"

I address now you who would be diligent, you who would be movers and shakers, you who would act on behalf of your beliefs, on behalf of Michael, on behalf of that which you love and hold dear in terms of your spiritual life. There are ways to go about getting things accomplished and our world is well versed in many techniques of accomplishing things and I would refer you to our Source and Center and the divine plan that unfailingly gets the job done.

When Jesus walked on your world it reached a point when one day he said to his would-be apostles, "Follow me" and they did. And the results of their efforts altered the climate on Urantia for the subsequent 2,000 years. There is now yet a new and modern revelation to Urantia through The Urantia Book, and it is a reminder, in part, of the invitation and admonition that those who would make a difference would follow him even still.

Lo, the Master has been gone from Urantia in the flesh these many years, and so his invitation to follow him becomes another chapter. No longer is he here to sit in the flesh with us, to counsel with us, to encourage us, and to flood our minds with his advanced understandings, but he has said "I am the Way" and so still we are to follow him. We cannot follow him as the original apostles did in those long-gone days, but we can follow him in our lives today by and through his gift to Urantia, to you, which he poured out upon his departure and upon his reclamation of divinity, and that is, of course, the Spirit of Truth.

For as you put yourself in a willingness to follow him, he will guide you and lead you through the Spirit of Truth as fully and as coherently as if he were here with you in the flesh. Now what is this Spirit of Truth and how does it work in your life, in your lives? for everyone has a comprehension of truth, of many truths. And how are you to know what to believe? which way to go?

As you journey in your ascendant career, you are aided by the seven adjutant mind spirits, another gift of the Paradise Trinity to help and enable you to develop and grow your own relationship with deity. And in and through these adjutant mind spirits, mortals have made their decisions for many generations, as compared to consulting with the Spirit of Truth.

It is to be remembered that when you attain a certain degree of spiritual maturity, you no longer need to utilize so heavily these adjutant mind spirits, but until you attain that level, they are active in evolving you and aligning you with life's ventures. And so those who have not been born of the spirit or those who have not attained a certain degree of spiritual maturity (for lack of a better word), their decisions will be made concomitantly with the adjutant mind spirits.

You may hear someone say, for instance, that their intuition told them to do something or behave in a certain way or grasp a concept as having reality, and this is and provides a relative truth, one which is, at that time, honorable. One may have a certain understanding, based upon his or her experiences and exposure, and this plateau of understanding, platform of understanding, influences his or her decisions, and so on down the line. The adjutant mind spirits impact personality and impact decisions which impact or fail to impact on the growth of the Supreme.

Whereas, when you consult with and rely upon the Spirit of Truth, there resonates within you, on every level, a clarity of purpose, and even a direction. Everyone has available to them the Spirit of Truth, but many opt to remain in the realms of the adjutant mind spirits for their decision-making guidance. The Spirit of Truth is that within you which, at every crossroads of life, will point and say, "This is the Way" and it is the Way of the Master. It is his answer to you to follow the invitation to "Follow me."

In order for you to have, perhaps, a clearer understanding of how the Spirit of Truth works in your life, perhaps you will be able to recall a time in your life wherein you felt that the direction you were headed was the direction that was right for you and that you truly wanted to go in. It may have had to do with a career, an earthly career. It may have had to do with a relationship, perhaps a romantic relationship. It may have had to do, perhaps, with your influence which you had available to bring to bear upon another human being, perhaps a child or someone under your authority and guidance. And in your understanding of the spirit of the seven adjutant mind spirits, you had worked out a plan which seemed to conform to all the elements of intuition, counsel, courage, understanding, knowledge, worship and wisdom. You were happy with your choices and hell-bent on bringing it about. And this is how your world has attained its reality levels today. By and large.

For the Spirit of Truth is its own voice. It is a superior voice to the evolutionary adjutant mind spirits, and as you learn to trust the Spirit of Truth, you can bank on the Spirit of Truth for it will show you the way in such clarity and conviction that you will see the difference between the better way and the lesser way. Always does the Spirit of Truth lead you into an understanding of Michael, an appreciation for the divine plan. It takes no credit for itself, but always leads you into the presence of the Master, that he may say, "Follow me. This is the Way."

I have seen, I have heard accounts of many sincere individuals who had allowed a glimmering of the Spirit of Truth to speak to them, and even to show the Way, but the mortal was so comfortable with the outlined plan of its understanding and of its choosing, that there commenced, there ensued a long and arduous struggle, over time and affecting many souls, that existed until such time as the struggle ended by and through, ultimately, acquiescing and recognizing the wisdom of the Spirit of Truth.

And so you may take as much time in your spiritual evolution as you choose, but as you choose to consult with and follow through the ministrations of the Spirit of Truth, you accelerate the growth of yourself, and of your loved ones, indeed, of Urantia and on into infinity. When you, therefore, find yourself in a crossroad, remember these words as to the Spirit of Truth. Allow it to lead you into the presence and the guidance of the Master who will say, "Follow me. This is the Way."

And you may follow in full confidence of it being the correct path for you. It is sure victory, even though it may appear that the road is rocky and the way hard. It is for you to trust that your faith may grow in your supernal adventure of finding God and aspiring to be more like him. If you aspire to be like him, then seek him, and do not lean upon your own understanding.

* * *

COEUR D'ALENE, ID

February 2, 1997

Malvantra (Jonathan TR): It is a duty we hold to assure you of your progress for, on this planet much effort in growth is untutored, uncertainty is a large factor in your pursuits without a suitable faculty of instructors to offer guidance. I would speak to you about meaning and correctness and adaptability. I am Malvantra. I have not shared with you of late and I have chosen to do so today.

You know of the phrase that the way is narrow. I would offer a perspective on this. Let us take the imagery of a jigsaw puzzle to illustrate my points. When you begin to assemble such a puzzle, you may select from all pieces the first building block. The potentials are great. Once a piece is selected, you have narrowed the possibilities to a few adjacent ones. As this selection process continues there is a broadening in the potentials in which you can connect another piece. To those of you who have begun your ascension you are at the stage of a few pieces hooked together. This is the reason for applying truth discernment in order to find the appropriate and fundamental pieces of your ascension career at this initial stage.

When the entire puzzle is assembled you have a correct picture, but the process of assembling this picture may be undertaken in many, many ways. This variableness is what gives meaning to you; it individualizes in each person. Although the destiny of all mortals is identical, the path, the process, is wholly unique. This explains why you have many religions stressing different perspectives, holding sometimes opposing viewpoints because these are snapshots in time of partially assembled puzzles. In teaching, your purpose is to provide meaningful content. the ideal of being perfectly correct, though worthwhile, must be adapted to the present condition of the receiver. If you proceed to build your puzzle by assembling the border first, pieces without a straight edge are not meaningful, though in the end they are vital for the completion of the image. Being able to adapt your message is serviceful to your fellows, even if in your perspective it appears less correct. Correctness in that perspective is not so much one of accuracy but one of appropriateness. This method of teaching is the guideline we adhere to in order to avoid revealing or requiring more than you are capable of understanding.

Returning to the point of the narrow way, as you assemble your jigsaw puzzle and the potentials for connections increase, seeming to magnify, in the end it narrows down to final placement of all pieces such that your destiny, your final destination, is like your initial start. Both have few options to be what they are. But between both extremes is the bulge of potentials that might be actualized in your life, that characterize you as unique from all other ascending personalities. What makes truth on your level accurate is its meaning not the law of correctness, for it is in the placement of the pieces that you grow. You have no box cover at this point to reference your assembly. This ability to adapt is important when you have subassemblies that need repositioning to connect and complete portions. Each subassembly may be correct in itself, and incorrect in the its alignment with other portions until the event arrives wherein the edge of integration appears. I do not intend to downplay correctness, only to amplify meaningful adaptability in the process of attaining the correct and final result.

I hope this illustration is helpful when you encounter your uncertainties and face isolated or lonely segments of your journey, without guidance, without your box cover. I am willing to dialogue with you at this time.

Evelyn: I realize this question is a tangent from what you just discussed. I was listening to the book on tape where they were talking about the universes swinging around the central universe, the positions they are in and the aeons of time it takes for the universe to complete one circuit. It said something about a system taking so long to get around or a subsequent one. That suggests to me that a system could cease to exist, and there would be a subsequent system. I didn't think that happened. Light and Life is supposed to be a settled existence, so that couldn't be it. What is meant by that?

Malvantra: Until Light and Life is established in a system temporal factors do play in continuing permanency or the lack of existence. Sometimes physical energies are disrupted and new systems must be established. This does not destroy the cultures, for life is valued above and beyond the spheres of habitation. There will be a time when even the system, though settle in Light and Life, must replace some of the physical content. It is the nature of the dynamics of time and space.

Though your world may be disrupted, particularly since your sun is finite, that which is Urantia, the humanity, will remain. It is the Light and Life that is being established. Systems referred to are not so much the administrative definitions as they are the physical juxtapositions. (Sure enough, the passage in question is P. 165B: "You are now passing through the very same space that your planetary system, or its predecessors traversed ages ago; and some day in the remote future your system, or its successors, will again traverse the identical space through which you are now so swiftly plunging."-editor of transcript) Only Havona is eternal and permanent.

Does this provide you with some orientation?

Evelyn: Yes, it does. That is reassuring to hear that cultures do go on. I assume that they would be moved to more suitable spheres for their continued progress.

Malvantra: This is a possibility. Also it is a capability of some energy entities to sustain planets that have become involved in a fragile space configuration while replacing objects in proximity in order to keep a planet in orbit that is valued a life world. We may replace adjacent spheres to maintain the balance when these other simple rocks have become disrupted. This we can do for it does not interfere with the Father's will for human growth and your freedom. Subsequent system contains the word sequential and does imply this replaceability.

Evelyn: Well, thank you.

I appreciate the puzzle analogy. I saw a jigsaw puzzle this week that had its border assembled. So it's a very fresh image you were working with.

Harold: Along that line of planetary balance, is there some way that planets in our solar system influence us, other than the moon which has some physical influences?

Malvantra: Upon your world there is great influence. Your physicists are only scratching the surface of the gravitational and magnetic forces present. This bearing upon a planet has little influence upon an individual's mind except that, if forces align such that your world is affected, then all minds resident thereon are disturbed. The chemical nature of your being makes obvious the cause and effect relationship of physical things to one another. But the influences on a galactic level are so greatly beyond in magnification to the sphere of human activity that you have little inkling as to when there is change in effect. It would be analogous to the turn of seasons slowly through a year in scale compared to the change of one day, between dawn and dusk. It is so gradual it is inconsequential to the actions of human beings. You would more notice the effects if you were transported into another system, then the difference would be like winter to summer. But within your system the changes are very subtle and are as hard to detect as the difference in December and January of your weather patterns.

Does this provide illustration?

Harold: Yes. I am a little unclear as to what is influenced by this. Are you saying the human mind is influenced or is it just the chemical makeup that is influenced by it?

Malvantra: Your chemical makeup is more greatly influenced. Your mind is far freer. The only qualification to this is that your mind is functioning through a chemical organ, your brain. So there is some effect, but this is not so acute in a daily sense. It is more of an effect in terms of ages. And proximity does have greater bearing, as you have indicated regarding your moon. Also, to show some mental connection, the mere absence of clouds and the observed radiance of your sun does affect your sense of wellbeing. But it has no bearing on your ability to choose truth over error.

Some of the more immediate affectors of your being are much closer to you than astronomical bodies, such as the presence of radioactive gases and electromagnetic fields, ion pools. These are more likely to influence your physical ability to outwork your chosen actions.

Helpful?

Harold: Yes. Are these influences you just spoke of positive or negative or neither one?

Malvantra: In a spiritual sense they have no positive or negative effect because of free will dominance. But from the human perspective it does aid or retard your sense of success. For instance, nutrition may be lacking in an individual's environment and can hinder in a a human sense the progress, but the personality is always free to select truth whether nourished or starving. This is difficult for you to clarify for so much of the human life is anchored in the physical realm. One like myself can . . . (tape flipped) . . . freedom from physical restraints can perceive the independence of your spiritual natures. However, to return to my analogy, I perceive the picture of the puzzle where you are only now placing pieces of the puzzle. This is the spectrum of wisdom.

Harold: Thank you. That was very interesting.

Malvantra: My pleasure.

Ham: Greetings, I am Ham. I am here only to salute and to acknowledge the successes of your teachers. As one who is in a sense a grandfather-teacher in this correcting period, I come periodically to your side. I would express to you how each of you is valuable in this mission. The extension of the celestial administration into the affairs of this world necessitates individuals like yourselves who are scattered throughout the world to translate the celestial effort into a terrestrial effect. Without your assistance we have no purpose. It is not our purpose to set you straight but rather to get you going. Thank you.

Evelyn: It is like what was said about offering meaning rather than correctness; you are getting us going whether or not we get it right.

Ham: That is correct.

Elyon: Your teacher Elyon here. I would close our meeting by verbalizing a prayer to our Father:

He who has blessed us with the abilities to grow and with the great universe within which to unfold, may we always share the effort we make in growing with our brothers and sisters. May we maintain a balance in our ministry with our own efforts at growth: that we, while making our own journey, carry the bags of our friends; and that while we minister to the needs of our fellows we do not lose sight of our own; that we balance the walking of the second mile with the mote and the beams of the eye; that we rely on one another for guidance. For it is through our brethren that You are ministering to each of us in a collective interconnectivity.

Help us, Father, to realize how broad this kingdom of Yours is. Help us to understand our function, not that it is hidden for us to discover as it is for us to creatively unfold. You have not hidden our purpose; we are Your purpose as living beings; we are Your demonstration for all else as they are for us.

Rick Giles

Divine truth must not be discounted because the channel of its bestowal is apparently human.

* * *

* HAM *

3/9/97 - [Excerpts -Ed]

Ham: Greetings, children, I am Ham and again I thank you all for coming tonight. I wish to take a little time and talk about the future. I want to start the meetings with discussion like you had this evening to bring you all into better knowledge of each other and understanding of your tasks. We are coming to the end of lessons that are learned on Mansonia one. Much of what is learned on Mansonia two requires your physical or morontial presence on that sphere. However, we will attempt to bring you some more lessons that delve into the philosophical/scientific realms as well as personal emotional realms.

God the Father is Spirit. He dwells as all of reality and transcendent reality at once. His is you, he has created you as an experiment within himself, as a self-revelatory device. He reveals himself to himself through you. You reveal yourself to yourself through him. There is no self-revelation without spirit. Spirit is what allows self to see self. Without the spirit, there can be no inner contemplation, no self-reflection.

Animals, being made of God's reality but not personally indwelt by a higher spirit, have no capacity for self-reflection. They cannot ponder the relative morality of their actions.

Of course, lower spiritual entities would serve the same purpose for you, but the Father desires to personally indwell the lowliest of his children. He delights in participating in his self-revelation which is your self-revelation. The medium between which these two opposite revelations are occurring is mind, of course. So the closer and more self-revelatory you become, the closer you are becoming in mind to the Father, and the closer he is coming in mind to you. When the two sides of mind come together and meet there is spontaneous revelation, the Father to the son and the son to the Father and the two are then one. In this oneness, you do not become God, no, but from then on the process of self-revelation is from your side going towards the Father. The Father at that moment understands and is pleased with his revelation that is you, completely. This side for the revelation is complete, and now our side of the revelation of increasingly knowing and becoming more and more identified with the Father is just beginning. At this point, at the time of fusion, there is no more sin. There is no errant desire to do other than the Father's perfect will.

The Father is love. He gives himself completely to the entire capacity of his children. Once you begin this walk toward the Father, you experience nothing but increasing love and the increased ability to love. Your expanding mind desires fulfillment as well, and this is amply supplied. In the universe, there is endless learning. Learning increases the capacity to learn. There is no end. The Father desires not only that his children love him and their brethren, but also that they know him and know their brethren. Therefore, learning is eternal. That is all, are there any questions at this time.

Q: Ham, you said "There is no self-revelation without spirit. Spirit is what allows self to see self. Without the spirit, there can be no inner contemplation, no self-reflection." Is all self-reflection spiritual?

Ham: It is an aspect of how you experience spirit. By the presence of spirit, you can look into the mirror of your soul and make evaluations about your moral status. This is what I mean by self-reflection. Is this helping?

Q: So the presence of spirit enables us to be self-reflective and moral?

Ham: Yes

Q: Is it also what enables us to love.

Ham: Yes. In the true transcendent sense of love, yes.

Q: Are you distinguishing between actions and behaviors that we might label as love, but are not?

Ham: Yes.

Q: I think I understand the part about revealing God to God, but when we reveal ourselves to whom are we revealing?

Ham: Revealing yourself to yourself.

Q: As I discover my capacities and my creativity and learn more who I am, is that what you mean when you say revealing myself to myself?

Ham: Yes.

Q: Where does revealing ourselves to others fit into this discussion or does it?

Ham: That comes automatically with self-awareness and understanding.

Q: Does this not happen as we interact with other people and the world?

Ham: Yes.

Q: The more you understand your fellows the more you understand yourself, and the more you understand yourself, the more you understand your fellows.

Ham: Yes, I would say that is true.

Q: As you reveal more of yourself to others, it would seem important to become more deeply aware of them and in doing that you reveal yourself to them as a result of that.

Ham: Yes

Q: The master would ask questions about the other person. I have never done that, but I believe in it.

Q: The thing that came to mind when you were talking about learning was memory. Will our memories improves as we go along? Right now, it seems that limitations in memory limit my ability to learn. Or maybe I am not thinking about it right?

Ham: Learning is not just memorizing facts. Learning is the process of expanding your conceptualization. The conceptualizing of some grouping of interrelated facts transcends those facts in the awareness meaning. So you may understand a system or the overall workings of a system without having memorized each individual fact involved. This is more the essence of true learning than memorizing facts. So, fear not you with faulty memories, the mind is a resilient and forgiving place. Also there is some truth to the notion that memory space is limited and so the great sorter of information, the thought adjuster, may choose to drop some things out and emphasize others and they are not always the same things you would have consciously have dropped from memory.

Q: About memory, we have been struggling this afternoon trying to remember the name of a supernal who was a musician on his planet and he was for a while helping me and maybe still is, and we just cannot remember his name. The closest we could get was Leonard, Is he still associated with us, does he still help me?

Ham: Not on a regular basis.

Q: Could you let us have his name?

Ham: Please move on.

Q: Is the capacity of our minds to gain these conceptualizations you talked about limited by our brains?

Ham: No.

Q: So it is the morontia mind that allows it?

Ham: Yes.

Q: What does that mean, it is the morontia mind that allows it?

Ham: The morontia mind is the mindedness of your soul and as such is not limited to the material brain in any way. The material brain does function to limit the immediate access of mind to mind in some respects, but the process of higher conceptualizing generally takes place within the morontia mind. So, you will sometimes be presented with finished thought without having gone through all the steps to create it yourself in our consciousness. Are you understanding?

Q: I think that happens a lot.

Q: So the brain limits our access to all the steps?

Q: It is a transcendence of the material?

Ham: You don't want to have access to all those steps, it could be too overwhelming. In essence, your mind is constantly in a state of being controlled or overcontrolled, by the higher levels of the morontia mind. This allows you to separate facts and correlate information. Otherwise, everything would be the same.

Q: Of the same significance?

Ham: Equally important, and seem to be the exact same.

Q: It's at that level that the thought adjuster operates?

Ham; Correct. Material brain doesn't inherently possess the capacity to differentiate facts, ideas about reality. The brain would be more like a machine. The computer stores the information and does some functions, but it cannot of itself, understand the meaning of any of it. The brain is more or less on that same level.

Q: So the computer cannot know the significance, because it doesn't' know its own significance. For one thing.

Ham: Correct.

Q: So there can't be any true reflection.

Ham: It can differentiate between importance.

Q: It would have to know itself, or have that capacity?

Q: Is that true about animal mind? Is animal mind incapable of distinguishing between that which is and is not important?

Ham: The animal mind differentiates on the basis of pleasure or pain. But yes the animal cannot, without instinct, differentiate, but instinct allows some differentiation to occur.

Q: This is the seven adjutants?

Ham: It is part of that.

Q: What else is it? Racial memory?

Q: It is biological programming?

Ham: Yes, biological programming is a good way to say it.

Q: Out of the DNA?

Ham: Yes.. What tells the trees to but or the flowers to bloom?

Q: Changes in the intensity and direction of the daylight and this is programmed into the DNA,

Ham: Yes.

* * *

HAM ON ADDICTIONS - PART 1

2/16/97

Ham: Greetings, children, I am Ham and again I want to thank you for gathering. Welcome, Vontis. Yes, we are again going to discuss acquiring and utilization of spiritual energy effects.

You tend to make it hard on yourselves to experience spiritual energy by using drugs. Caffeine and alcohol are included in this. Nicotine is also seriously inhibiting of the bodies natural sensitivity to spiritual energies. Stimulants and depressants tend to alter the electrochemical balance that is necessary to feel through the human body pulses that are then conveyed to the mind.

Your bodies are extremely sensitive, fine-tuned equipment. The Father's spirit acts to adjust and tune the body toward receiving spiritual energies. It is unwise to attempt to adjust the body yourselves by the clumsy means of drug use. By using drugs, you directly and now consciously thwart your Father's efforts. I am not prescribing a strict teetotaler regime on you, but I want you to become aware of the delicate chemical balance that our bodies maintain.

Also, a warning against the use of psychochemical drugs such as marijuana. These drugs may lower the normal barrier that exists between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind and so it is easy to delude yourselves into thinking wrongly because the emotional response to this thinking is stronger than usual. Dreams are strong emotional experiences for the same reason. You may think you are discovering the superconscious when in fact you are entering the realm of the more primitive emotional animal mind, the subconscious.

Q: Is that the dwelling place of the ego?

Ham: No, the ego is in all three realms, superconscious, conscious and unconscious mind. In fact, it is hard to separate the ego from the mind itself. For mind to operate as a distinct entity, it must perceive itself as distinct, but the decision to choose unselfishness is made by the will in synchrony with the Divine will, thus overcoming the ego's objections. The power of decision, that is the power of will in partnership or synchrony with the Divine will so the Spirit asserts dominance over mind. The ego mind always is focused on what will I lose while the will and augmented soul always focuses on what will I gain. Does this help to clarify for you what the ego is and its functions?

Q: Are you saying all mind altering drugs are used in response to the ego?

Ham: Yes, I would say that they are a self-focused act, so would come under the loose classification of being ego driven.

Q: It is self-focused, and it is also self-focusing isn't it?

Ham: Yes.

Q: Do you think about the levels of reality as vibrational frequency levels?

Ham: Yes and No. It depends upon what levels of reality or aspects of reality you mean. Physical matter and morontia matter do exhibit what is referred to as vibrational frequency. But mind and spirit do not. Are you understanding?

Q: Yes, I was going to ask you that next. So do certain levels of vibrational frequency have corresponding access to different portions. . . . like on one vibrational frequency you would be more privy to an emotional or physical area. I know that it is clumsy on my part.

Ham: Yes, this is expressing my understanding very well. While in the physical body, you are experiencing greater or lesser conscious synchronization with the soul's vibrational energy. Fairly good synchronization creates health, mental stability, and emotional well being. When the mind becomes disassociated with reality, feeding spiritual poisons to the soul and chemical poisons to the body, then illness, depression, and antisocial behavior results. So the decision process is absolutely crucial to synchronizing the physical and the morontial, it is in this state of synchronicity that many blessings are realized. One blessing we discussed last week was the ability to influence your fellows through the heart's stream of love. This is not an aggressive posture, it is not an attitude of trying to influence for personal gain. In fact, it is the opposite of that, it is the attitude of complete vulnerability, of nonresistance. You love because you are love not for anything else. Love itself is your reward, and so you need nothing from any other.

Q: So the reward is being able to love?

Ham: Yes. Q: Wow. About your lesson tonight Ham, the way to control one's frequency is to control it on the electric side through faith rather than on the chemical side through blood sugar?

Ham: You , yourself cannot tune the body.

Q: But, everybody tries to through the blood sugar side.

Ham: Yes, and by other means. It would be like trying to repair a watch with mittens.

(Laughter)

Q: It seems to me that where man wants to get is to drop down into the morontia area of high blood sugar.

Ham: It is not the morontia area. It is the subconscious area.

Q: So, through faith one relaxes and drops to a lower vibrational frequently, or not, goes to a higher.

Ham: No, but it is not a nervous making creation.

(Some discussion here)

Ham: Yes, Jared, you are confusing emotional states with vibrational states.

Q: And level of awareness and perception?

Ham: Awareness and perception, certainly, but the blood sugar analogy is not a part of this understanding.

Q: Can you give me some more of that?

Ham: The chemical bodily response to levels of blood sugar is entirely physical and somewhat creative of the animal responses.

Q: I was going to say associated response becomes a part of it. So you become attenuated to or predisposed to have a viewpoint. O.K. I understand.

Ham: The morontia soul, as you know, fills the entire body form and is centered around the area of the heart, maybe more of the mid point between the heart and the solar plexus in the middle of the body. This is the point of contact between the spiritual, the morontial, and the material.

When you speak of experiencing God's love as a physical sensation, it is there at the center of the body that this physical sensation occurs. It is there in the center of the body that feelings of love, or empathy, or sympathy for another person is felt for these are spiritual emotions, higher emotions. When you feel moved by great words, or great music, or the beauty of a painting or a sunset, again you feel that warmth there in the center of the body.

It is unfortunate that your scientists have understood a limitation of the mind as being the brain. The mind is not the brain. The brain acts as a computer for the mind, it is storage house, and an intelligence center for the nervous system which allows sensory perception on the physical form of the physical world. But, the proper center of the mind would be there at the center of the body for this is the point from which you feel your great decisions are originated. Is this not so?

Q: Its also there when you hear something or know something that is true, it resonates in that spot as well.

Ham: Yes.

Q: What is that we call chill bumps, when we are in awe of something?

Ham: This is more the animal response than a purely spiritual response. More emotional response.

Q: We can have an emotional response to spiritual experience.

Ham: Yes.

Q: And probably often do.

Ham: Correct.

Q: How do the stimulants and depressants interfere with our heart center, or can you correlate these ideas for us?

Ham: They, in general, throw the underlying body chemistry into a reaction response so your body instead of tuning with the spirit is actively counteracting some foreign chemical that you have introduced. This is taxing to the body and eventually the body becomes habituated to this stimulation and so the chemical balance is constantly incorrect, it is unnatural. The Father of course works within this situation, but it is not optimum for his efforts. So it is not just an unkindness to yourself, but an unkindness to your Father as well.

Q: What is the best course of action for caffeine, to go cold turkey and eliminate it or to try to taper it off. I should say, specifically, what is the best course of action for me?

Ham: Caffeine is highly addictive, and the body adjusts to its ingestion gradually so that the ingestion of caffeine becomes a dependency very much like the opiate based drugs. The nature of it is such that cold turkey is pretty much best solution because cutting down isn't usually a way to quit. You of course will have headaches and irritability for several days but not to the point of debilitation.

Q: I will feel better if I succeed from withdrawing from caffeine?

Ham: Yes, it is a problem for you even now and will get worse until you quit.

Q: I am sure you have the same advice for me.

Ham: Yes, I would advise quitting caffeine.

HAM ON ADDICTIONS PART II - 2/23/97

(Before this session started, we were discussing the session from last week and which of us had and had not made progress on overcoming caffeine addiction.)

Ham: Greetings, children, I am Ham and I am grateful that you have all come tonight. Yes, addictions are strong and are greatly compelling of behavior. There is evidence in all our lives of times when a craving has overcome our own rational mind. Addictions are never rational, they are usually a chemical effect on the primitive brain, the part of the brain that controls instinctual urges such as hunger, or the sex drive. This is the primitive pleasure center as well. Most addictive substances target these areas of primitive response which are stronger than the reasoning intelligence. The part of the brain that controls thirst or hunger is basic drive for survival so when you alter the primitive brain you are tapping into areas of drive that are instinctual. These primitive drives override the reason. Reason has not anything to do with addictions.

So, sometimes addictions must be dealt with on this primitive level, this satisfaction response level. Addictions set up a drive that is only satisfied with the pleasure response of the addictive substance. So, sometimes to be free from an addiction, it takes some tricking of the pleasure response center. that is why oftentimes addictions are switched from one thing to another. In order to quit smoking, many people chew gum or eat chocolates, a number of things, and then you are stuck with an addiction to sweets or something in its place.

All addictions are an attempt to control the mind/body to alter the mood or the emotional response to the world. Even coffee is used to change one's mood from lethargy or not quite feeling up to the task and you drink some coffee and feel more motivated. But caffeine triggers the primitive brain to a heightened alertness that is very temporary and so as soon as it starts wearing off then another dose of coffee is required and on into the day. Pretty soon instead of drinking it for your motivation, you are drinking it to not feel bad. And this is true with every addiction. At first it has a positive motivation then it switches to a negative one.

So the question is, how to become free of addictions. The only way to do this successfully is to tap your own spiritual source to really rely on your spiritual helpers and your Father in Heaven and his Son. If you truly want to rely more upon the spirit, you will overcome your addictions because you know that it is not the Father's will for his children to be chained to substances such as these and so by aligning our will with his, the strength that you need to overcome these substances will be with you and you will find the road easy and pleasant.

In a sense, giving up an addiction is giving up control. It is not a question of controlling yourself or using your own will power. This road leads only to disaster because if you try to control yourself and fail, and feel that you are weak-willed, the discouragement can be overwhelming. No one can control an addiction, but you can align your will with the Father's will and you can ask of him when each decision arises, "Father what is your will, what should I do?" But this asking must be whole hearted, with not a hint of insincerity. In other words, you must want to receive the answer. If you truly want to receive the Father's will into your lives, aligning your will with his will, then the road away from addictions will be easy and even enjoyable.

Basically, it comes down to this. Are you willing to place your hand in his and allow him to lead you? Addictions can rarely be quit by will power alone. At the very most, you might succeed in transferring your addiction. The primitive brain will override the rational mind every time. But the will, the human will weak and inconstant as it is, when aligned with the Father's will is the strongest thing there is and easily overrides the primitive brain. Are there any questions?

Q: What role would you say fear plays in this process of overcoming addictions?

Ham: Fear is the biggest factor because human beings are afraid to relinquish their control, especially basic control over pleasure and pain. So you had experiences when you haven't had your drug, and you experienced discomfort or increased anxiety, things of this nature, and so you are afraid to relinquish control. Or, you've had good days on your drug, you feel it has helped you, and you are afraid of relinquishing that. It's all about having control.

Q: But the problem is an addiction is being out of control.

Ham: That's the paradox.

Q: I think this is insightful because I was thinking that the physical discomfort is what I was most afraid of, but as I listen to you discuss it I think that I am afraid of giving up control.

Ham: Relinquishing control to the Father is the essential ingredient involved in spiritual growth. We don't so much achieve growth, as allow growth.

Q: Ham, you said if you truly want to receive the Father's will into your lives aligning your will with the Father's will, then the road away from addiction will be easy and enjoyable. Is that the case with alcoholics who are in bad shape, and nicotine?

Ham: Yes, all addictions.

Q: If you prayed enough, meditated enough, is that the approach?

Ham: Yes, it is the sincerity of the asking, the wholeheartedness of the asking, that really determines how much of God's will you are ready to allow. You must be willing to ask him whenever you are confronted with a decision concerning your addiction. Father, should I drink this next cup of coffee? should I smoke this cigarette, should I have a drink? If you are willing to receive the answer, then you will be free from your addictions. If you are not willing to receive the answer, the addiction has you. Is this helping you?

Q: I find that I am still afraid of this. I know I can make it through the headaches and the other discomforts of withdrawal, but I am afraid of not being able to do my work. I am afraid that I will be out of commission for several days. I am not sure I see how this will be fun and enjoyable.

Ham: You've been addicted to caffeine for most of your adult life so you don't know what life is like without dragging that ball and chain.

Q: Correct.

Q: You know in the big part of it, people are afraid of freedom.

Q: So you are saying the fun and enjoyable part is seeing what life is like without a drug addiction.

Ham: Broadan, take your friend's advice about cutting down your caffeine intake daily so that you don't experience the harsh physical effects of complete withdrawal. Sometimes the withdrawal experience can be good because it discourages ever going back on the substance again, but this way will be much easier for you.

Q: Do you have an idea of what time frame I should give myself for going form here to nothing?

Q: Turning it over to the Father. I have had the theory come up, which may be crackpot, but the reason why addiction is progressive and so the amount has become larger and larger, is because reality is progressive, so whatever you are using to cover it up with must get wider and wider and that the other side is the chemical side and that would be the morontial view of it. Would you comment on that?

Ham: I would say with some addictions that is certainly true, and it is helpful to see that psychologically, many people who have come through an addiction and who are looking back on it. But those who are in the middle of an addiction struggle, it isn't all that helpful.

Q: I wasn't thinking of it as being helpful, I was thinking of it as how it works.

Ham: Well, there is the physical dependency side also that you mentioned.

Q: Everything you have said last week and this week, to me it proves that you cannot leave out the blood sugar side of this thing. I don't see how you could ever do that to really understand this thing.

Ham: When you stop trying to regulate your blood sugar, and allow the morontia body to fine tune these chemical functions, then you will see that a balance is the way to spiritual growth. So, in a sense you are correct in your thinking, but in other ways, somewhat in error.

* * * * *

JEREMIAH

Jeremiah (John Wormek) translated to the Mansion Worlds on Saturday, March 1, 1997. All who knew Jeremiah will remember his bright and shining smile, his gentle way and the way he gave so much of himself to the Teaching Mission and all his brothers and sisters. While we will miss his being amongst us here and the fine living example he set for us, we celebrate his arrival on the Mansion World. A service was held for Jeremiah on Wednesday, March 5, 1997 in North Ogden, UT. The tributes to Jeremiah are many, both at the service on the TML and TeaM lists. Perhaps, you might want to share your favorites with the newsletter readers.

And, of course, one cannot think of Jeremiah without thinking of his beloved Nolus. To you, Nolus, we offer our heartfelt condolences for your loss. While we know your beautiful spirit will rise above the grief that we as humans experience, we offer you our prayers of comfort at this time.

Henry Zeringue called to share the following experiences of his with Jeremiah. Henry has been good enough to share his transcripts and some of you may recall the truth and beauty that shines forth from his teachers. Henry asked me about sharing the following in the newsletter. Although we both realize that the reception of this material will be varied, we agreed that it should be shared and I am happy to do so. The truth cannot be discerned by denial, but by an open mind willing to pursue new avenues and guidance from our teachers. Thank you, Henry, for your courage to take this step forward in faith.

*

I was thought visualizing a group circle at Spiritfest, in San Luis Obispo, CA. in which we were remembering our brother Jeremiah and we were saying Jeremiah, "Jeremiah", Jeremiah", then suddenly in my mind this voice spoke clearly, "Greetings this is Jeremiah. I am alive and well. I was resurrected on the third day in the resurrection halls on the mansion worlds. It is somewhat new and incredible to be out of pain and the suffering of the flesh. I met with John the Baptist, Adam and Eve, the apostle Andrew, the apostle John, and Paul. I have been allowed to return to this world, (Urantia) as evidence of the Living Truth of this Teaching Mission. I will continue to learn and be of service to my brothers and sisters here." (There was personal information to given to Nolus.)

Jeremiah said that he had just arrived on the planet and that I was the first person he has had contact with. He was hopeful to be in communication with Nolus and many of his friends. He remembered me and our conversation that Saturday evening by the fireside at Spiritfest III. At this point I discussed a project I was working on, the Michael poster, and that I had just gotten the text for the poster just prior to this communication. He gave me encouragement to continue with this project and pursue it. Jeremiah said that he understood now why there was a tremendous spiritual pressure on this planet, because the spiritual administrative presence here was awesome. I asked him what it was like on the other side, was it another dimension, He said that he was able to perceive me but was not very close to me in the physical sense. He thanked me for receiving this transmission and was hopeful to be in touch again.

At this point my personal teacher Johnson came on and acknowledged that Jeremiah had indeed just communicated with me. I thanked him for the wonderful teachings I had recently received a few days before. He told me that there was someone else who wanted to communicate to me, then Machiventa came on line and told me that Jeremiah had been given a special privilege from Michael to return to this world, (Urantia) as a Living Truth and testament of this, Michael's teaching mission to Urantia.

I further received confirmation from Machiventa that he was aware of what I have been previously going through and that I should contact the resident life carriers here and allow them access to come and make some more adjustments in my mind. He said that he was familiar with everyone's' situations because we are continuously monitored by the celestial realm. A few things were related to me about the mission which I don't remember, then he signed off and Nebadonia came on line and greeted me as Mother and Sister, then told me of the challenges which will face us on the planet and of the thanks and consideration that all of us in this teaching mission are receiving from the spiritual administration, in particular her personal thanks and appreciation that some of us on this world are capable to act upon truth through faith only and that this was a valuable quality in the Universe of Nebadon. Then Nebadonia signed off and Michael, my Lord and Brother came on line and gave me personal encouragement and told me to prepare for the day which would come when he will ordain many of us to go forth in the world and spread this gospel of the Kingdom once again anew as he had done once on Urantia. He said that many special circumstances would attend this teaching mission at this time and to spend time preparing with an "Open Heart, Kind and Loving Service and Willful Action" for the tasks at hand. Then Michael signed off and my other teacher Berca came on and communicated a bit, but I was so overwhelmed by the five previous transmissions that I was completely unable to remember any of what she had communicated to me.

I received the transmissions while I was lying in bed. When I got up to write this down, it was 4:30 in the morning March 9, 1997. I realized that in effect by calling Jeremiah's name at first, that it had summoned him, therefore the communication. If it weren't for the other transmissions, I would have had a more difficult time accepting this as real. After much talking with Father, I realized that it was not important whether I, personally, believed this or not. I was to pass this information on to others for their edification. I had been prepared to do my part in this. So there it is. Thank you. Henry Zeringue (hansen).

Transmission from Jeremiah - March 15, 1997

Q: How are you?

A. I am great. I have been very busy. I've tried to contact several people. I have contacted Nolus.

Q. Can you say anything about the other side?

A. The other side is quite unique. There are many different beings; some I am able to see, others I cannot. The brightness (brilliance) of some of these beings is incredible.

Q: What are the teachers like?

A. Similar to myself but much brighter, and some of them have characteristics.

Q: What kind of characteristics?

A: Different colors and patterns, and other impersonalizations of form. Morontia substance is a living substance.

Q: Are there any structures where you are?

A: Yes, there are, administrative buildings, places for us to rest, eat, and sleep.

Q: What do you eat?

A: We eat prepared foods and food substances, plant material, and all of these substances have light in them.

Q: What type of activities do you do?

A: I am learning the tongue of Nebadon, and am allowed to attend classes for the teachers. The Melchizedeks have a school here on the planet to train the teachers. There are many opportunities to communicate with beings from all over the universe and beyond. Here on the planet, there is a complex organization of activities and duties for all of the beings resident here. There are very many beings here in the spiritual realm on Urantia. It is somewhat similar to being downside on the planet in terms of the numbers of people, but uniquely different in the manifestation of the administrative centers in our realm. It is like trying to explain what a foreign country is like without being able to send photos. I am very thankful to be here for a while. I don't know how long I will be allowed to remain here. I am quite overwhelmed by the order of the spiritual realm. There is no negativity here, no fear; the opposite of which is very challenging since there are various levels of perfection all at once. pause----------- I am able to communicate with you because you have initiated the communication.

Q: Where on the planet are you?

A: I am approximately over the California sierras, in a realm that is physically beautiful, and seemingly more real that the granite of Urantia.

If you send this transmission to Nolus, tell her that I love her and will patiently wait for her to get here.

Henry to Jeremiah - I called Nolus right after our first communication. She was very excited to know that you were on the planet, and I relayed to her all that had transpired during our conversation, as clearly as possible. She said that everything you had told me coincided with your thoughts and desires before your translation from the flesh. I wrote down all that I remembered our conversing about and sent it to her.

Q:: What else can you say about the other side?

A: The music is awesome here, the many voices blending and the colored patterns created by the sound is phenomenal and truly uplifting. Such a contrast to the spiritually starved predicament below me. I must thank you for this communication for now and I hope to hear from you soon.

Q: May I ask one more question. How has your personal relationship to God and your service been altered or changed by the death and resurrection experience?

A: (He laughs) Not very much, if anything, I feel the importance of the need to be in meditation with father more; as far as the service is concerned, I am part of an organized group with duties to this group of beings and their activities. I don't really act as an individual in the same capacity which I did while in the flesh as you are. My doubt and feelings of unworthiness have been removed only to be replaced by an overwhelming challenge to the nature, quality and value of what I am dealing with now. I feel young here. I am quite young, really, so eternity has a much more visual impact on one from this perspective. So good luck down there and say Hello to all for me. I am still with you all now, here.

There is a tremendous amount of work ahead for this world. Day by day try to connect to your tasks and realize that you are moving forward. All here believe in this mission and will not see it fail. I love you all and, again, thanks for allowing me to transmit this to you, Hansen.

We are counting on each and everyone of you. Goodby for now. Jeremiah 3/15/97 5:00 a.m.

This is the second communication which I have had with Jeremiah back on Urantia, serving with the teaching mission from their side of reality. Thank you. Henry Zerinque

* * * * *

TM FAMILY NEWS

BUTLER, PA - As Gerdean (Karen O'Dell) has opened a shop called "SERENDIPITY! Books & Other Wonders" where, as she says, she is THE Butler outlet for Good Cheer Press, UBooks, imported goods from Thailand, Native American & Southwester stuff. The shop is located on the first floor. On the second floor she is offering a variety of activities: viewing and discussions of spiritually-based films; beginning meditation classes (The Stillness Foundation); "The Artist's Way, etc. A welcome is always out for traveling TeaM members. If, while visisting, you would like to share some of your talents with the locals, let Gerdean know so she can drum up an audience.

Gerdean opened the shop the first of the year and has a limited time frame to make a success of it. So, if you have been looking for ways to support TeaM members, here is an opportunity to those books or items that you are considering getting rid of and helping Gerdean at the same time. If you are like me, you probably have a lot of spiritual/metaphysical books that you no longer have an interest in keeping They may be old hat to you, but they may be just what someone else is looking for on their path.

Gerdean reported that the Pittsburgh group has a new teacher, Merium, and that they are now beginning to move from personal guidance to learning to work as a group.

* * * * *

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

NORTHWEST REGIONAL CONFERENCE

Friday June 20 - Sunday, June 22, 1997

Camp Gifford on Deer Lake 35 Miles North of Spokane, WA

Camp Gifford is a Salvation Army summer camp whose accommodations include a few cabins and A-frames that sleep six with community bathrooms.

Plans this year include designating segments of time (1-3 hours) to feature each of the three general regions of the Northwest. These 3 regions are South Idaho/Utah, Oregon, and Washington/North Dakota.

The cost is $60 for adults and $40 for children ( 3 and under free) and includes five meals, two nights' lodging, transcripts, insurance and registration. The day use and fees are $20 for those who do not plan to spend the weekend and meals can be purchased separately.

* * *

SpiritFest IV

The Fourth annual California Teaching Mission

June 27-29, 1997

AND

The First SpiritFest Pre-Conference Stillness Retreat - Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon June 26-27 - 24 hours of spiritual communion leading into the main conference - optional as a one-day event

Rancho El Chorro in the hills outside San Luis Obispo, CA

It is exciting to see the development of this annual conference over the last few years. This year's program promises to be the best yet. It just gets better and better. Look over the information packet and see for yourself! For more information those with computers can visit the Planning Website at www.spiritfes.com or to subscribe to the SF97 Planning list at 'majordomo@spiritfest.com with the following message: "subscribe fest 97" (subject doesn't matter).

Prices are $85 for adults, $40 for children 5-11 (both events), children under 5 free. Pre-Conference cost is $35.00 for adults/12 up. Off site adults/12up are $55.00

* * *

THE INTERNATIONAL TEACHING

MISSION GATHERING 1997

Snow Mountain, Colorado

"LOVE IN ACTION"

August 21-24, 1997

For information and registration packets contact Barry Norby at 936 Buck Drive, Dover DE 19901. To offer suggestions or offer your help with the program contact Eric Johnson at 303-604-2347.

If you missed the JANUARY 31 DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING, THERE IS STILL TIME, so get your registration forms in as soon as possible.

* * * * *

THE URANTIA BOOK

Jesus lived and died for a whole universe, not just for the races of this one world. While the mortals of the realms had salvation even before Jesus lived and died on Urantia, it is nevertheless a fact that his bestowal on this world greatly illuminated the way of salvation; his death did much to make forever plain the certainty of mortal survival after death in the flesh.

Though it is hardly proper to speak of Jesus as a sacrificer, a ransomer, or a redeemer, it is wholly correct to refer to him as a savior. He forever made the way of salvation (survival) more clear and certain; he did better and more surely show the way of salvation for all the mortals of all the worlds of the universe of Nebadon.

When once you grasp the idea of God as a true and loving Father, the only concept which Jesus ever taught, you must forthwith, in all consistency, utterly abandon all those primitive notions about God as an offended monarch, a stern and all-powerful ruler whose chief delight is to detect his subjects in wrong doing and to see that they are adequately punished, unless some being almost equal to himself should volunteer to suffer for them, to die as a substitute and in their stead. The whole idea of ransom and atonement is incompatible with the concept of God as it was taught and exemplified by Jesus of Nazareth. The infinite love of God is not secondary to anything in the divine nature.

All this concept of atonement and sacrificial salvation is rooted and grounded in selfishness. Jesus taught that service to one's fellow is the highest concept of the brotherhood of spirit believers. Salvation should be taken for granted by those who believe in the fatherhood of God. The believer's chief concern should not be the selfish desire for personal salvation but rather the unselfish urge to love and, therefore, serve one's fellows even as Jesus loved and served mortal men.

Neither do genuine believers trouble themselves so much about the future punishment of sin. The real believer is only concerned about present separation from God. True, wise fathers may chasten their sons, but they do all this in love and for corrective purposes. They do not punish in anger, neither do they chastise in retribution.

Even if God were the stern and legal monarch of a universe in which justice ruled supreme, he certainly would not be satisfied with the childish scheme of substituting an innocent sufferer for a guilty offender.

The great thing about the death of Jesus, as it is related to the enrichment of human experience and enlargement of the way of salvation, is not the fact of his death but rather the superb manner and the matchless spirit in which he met death.

This entire idea of the ransom of the atonement places salvation upon a plane of unreality; such a concept is purely philosophic. Human salvation is real; it is based on two realities which may be grasped by the creature's faith and thereby become incorporated into individual human experience: the fact of the fatherhood of God and its correlated truth, the brotherhood of man. It is true, after all, that you are to be "forgiven your debts, even as you forgive your debtors."

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F. Y. I

The newsletter at the end of February is:

$779.71 - IN THE RED

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PURPOSE

The purpose of this monthly newsletter is to create a network for sharing information among all individuals and groups involved in the TR (Transmitter/Receiver) process with Celestial Teachers in the Teaching Mission during this Correcting Time. More information about the Celestial Teachers can be found in The Urantia Book. All contributions for the newsletter; correspondence; and requests to be included on the mailing list should be sent to:

Allene Vick

The success of this network is dependent upon the help of all it is intended to serve - your interest and your sharing. Please let us hear from you. A suggested donation for the newsletter to cover printing and mailing costs is $20.00. Your support is appreciated.

When corresponding, please be sure to mark any information that you do not wish to be shared with "FOR YOUR EYES ONLY." Otherwise, it will be assumed that what is received is for sharing in the T/R NEWS NETWORK. The right is reserved to use excerpts and make editorial changes.